Gait symmetry in patients with unilateral partial hip arthroplasty.

OBJECTIVES

In this study gait deviations symmetry and asymmetry in patients with unilateral partial hip arthroplasty was determined.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Gait characteristics and time since operation (11.9+/-6.1; range 7 to 29 months) of 16 patients (9 females, 7 males; mean age 61.5+/-16.5 years; range 27 to 86 years) with unilateral partial hip arthroplasty were evaluated. Ten healthy volunteers (3 females, 7 males; mean age 54.1+/-11.9 years; range 35 to 65 years) were included in the study as control group. Quantitative gait data was collected with the Vicon 370 System (Oxford Metrics, Oxford, UK). Spatio-temporal (walking velocity, cadence, step time, step length, double support time) and kinematic (joint rotation angles of pelvis and hip in sagittal plane) data were processed by using Vicon Clinical Manager software package. Spatio-temporal and kinematic gait symmetry indices of both groups were calculated.

RESULTS

Spatio-temporal and kinematic gait characteristics, but not the symmetry indices, of patients with unilateral partial hip arthroplasty were different from the control group (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Findings of this study reveal that patients with unilateral partial hip arthroplasty had various gait deviations compared to healthy subjects, but that symmetry was preserved.